A Wolf's Tale
by Lily Wanderer
Summary: Shangs are born wanderers. They settle when they find a cause, or they die searching for one. Set after Lady Knight, will Amira end up like her predecessors?
1. Arrival

Amira took her first step off the ship and gazed around. She left Port Caynn two years ago but everything looked the same. Crammed into booths, vendors held shouting competitions to try attracting customers to their wares, painfully thin and barefoot children ran between the booths and nervous women stood on the docks, waiting for their lovers to return home. The high pitched neigh of her horse drew her attention towards a pair of sailors trying to coax her mare out of the ship. After being stuck in a ship for several weeks, Fiera distrusted sailors because they were the ones who led her onto the ship. Amira made sure to visit Fiera frequently, but she still received a glare when she approached. Slowly, Amira pulled out an apple and held it just out of reach of Fiera's mouth but clearly within view. Fiera snorted and shot the sailors a disdainful look before ambling forward.

"That damned beast of yours 'ad better move it along Miss. There's shipment of goods comin' and we need the space" shouted a cabin boy.

Out of the corner of her eye, Amira saw that boy deftly scrambling down the ship's ropes and sauntering onto the street. With skills like that, he would make a good shang. Unfortunately, Amira didn't have time to talk with him and his age would have been pushing the limits if her guess was right. As her eyes followed the young boy and saw a herd of children rushing up to him. Fiera impatiently butted her head against the apple. She could have just eaten it out of Amira's hand but Fiera respected her too much for that, perhaps. Once she was out of the ship, two animals twined themselves around her legs as a greeting. One of the sailors glanced at the animals and swore. He jumped back and held an accusing finger at it. "What is that thing?" His cried were drowned out by the vendors and bustling city life but the second sailor heard. They were staring at Birch and Snow.

Amira should have expected this. During the journey, she had Birch and Snow hide in her room but now that they were off the ship, they were enjoying the freedom. They always attracted attention for their strange appearance. Birch was neither a wolf, nor a dog; he was an odd mix that she found curled up in a shed. His fur was a light grey but had the build of a wolf. The only dog like portions of him was his eyes and puppy like personality. His mate, Snow, was the exact opposite. Her fur was pure black and the only hint to her lineage was her eyes. In the dead of night, even an experienced hunter would swear that they belonged to a wolf. Snow was loyal and serious, but whenever she was with Birch, they wreaked havoc with their games.

Before the sailors attracted more attention, Amira grabbed Fiera's reins, checked her bag, and walked away._ Why must people react like that every time they meet Birch and Snow? They are incredibly loyal and weren't showing any hostility._ Without even realizing, people seemed to create a wide space for the steaming woman.

_**Relax sister. They are hostile to what they do not know. There was a time when you were even hesitant to approach us.** _Snow's voice in her mind soothed her temper but it was still unnerving that she could silently speak to her. Birch was also capable of it but he was too interested prowling through the alleys and sniffing out the new scents. Shang refused to take the gifted but when Amira started, nobody took a second look at the scrawny girl who liked to hang out with the dogs. When she left the camp as the Shang Wolf, Amira knew that it was more than a love of the animals but did not dare speak of her suspicions. Wild magic was not the gift but it was still rare and did not know what the elders would do if they found out. A friend helped her master it and although Amira could not heal, she could speak to wolves and dogs.

Stopping by a booth, she bought several apples for Fiera and some pastries for herself. Birch and Snow did not like being fed; they preferred to hunt. Silently, they left the outskirts of the city and Amira mounted Fiera. Birch and Snow joined them and together, they cantered down a well-used path. Amira planned on visiting some of the villages now that she returned to Tortall but that would have to wait. The sun was starting to set so she sent Birch out to find a suitable place to camp. Ever the dramatic one, he let out a deep howl. Amira chuckled and she could have sworn the Snow rolled her eyes at her mate's antics. They soon caught up with Birch as he happily chased after a squirrel. Despite his current foolishness, Amira had to admit it; he chose the perfect spot. The field was large enough to hold an entire squadron and off to the side, there was a clear lake. Without even saying anything, Birch and Snow disappeared into the forest to hunt while Amira unsaddled Fiera. Once she finished, she produced the apple that she brought earlier and heard a crack.

It was subtle; most people wouldn't have heard it. Amira has lived on her own since she became a Shang three years ago and had to be alert. She could take down most men, but it was foolish to tempt fate by ignoring her surroundings. Silently, she asked Snow to stop hunting and come back. Amira pretended not to hear the crack and went about setting up a fire for the food. She fetched water from the lake and placed it in a pot over the fire as her ears listened for anymore sounds. As the water began to bubble, she pulled out her sword and began to sharpen it with a wetstone. It was the perfect excuse to have her weapon unsheathed; whoever was nearby would assume that she was sharpening it. Amira sensed Snow approaching, but couldn't see her.

_**I see them watching you behind the bushes.**_

_How many are there and are they dangerous?_

_**They are just two hungry pups, nothing to fear. I can practically hear their stomachs growling for food.**_

The water finished boiling and Amira threw in some meat and vegetables from her bag before walking over. "I know you two have been watching me. If you want some food, come out. If you intend to rob me, I suggest you find an easier target." There was a brief pause before she heard twigs breaking and leaves rustling. Two kids slowly came forth. The first was an older lad who was hardly more than ten years old. His face was smudged with dirt and in his hand, he held a dull knife. An even smaller hand was clasped in his free hand and Amira could see traces of blond hair behind the boy. Warily, they watched her and stopped several feet from her. The smaller child was a six year old girl who wore a shirt two sizes too big for her. They were clearly related; both children shared the same brown eyes and curls. There was a hint of stubbornness in the boy's face but it evaporated as he smelled the food. Amira held back a wince as she saw the look in their faces. Their eyes were glued to the pot and their mouths were practically salivating.

"What are your names?" The elder of the two snapped out of his trance and resumed a wary look on his face. "You tell me yours first!" he demanded. Sighing, Amira introduced herself and added that she was the Shang wolf. Normally, someone would have to pry her lips apart in order to get her to admit that, but it seemed to work for the children. Their eyes widened in amazement because they were facing a legend. The awe prevented them from running away, but they refused to budge, despite their growling stomachs. Amira returned to the pot and after stirring it, deemed that it was ready. She pulled out two extra bowls and poured some of the stew into them. After serving it to the children, she rifled through her bags for some bread. It was a bit stale, but to the kids, it was a feast.

Birch and Snow returned from the hunt as the children ate. They stretched out in front of the fire and ignored the children who had stopped eating. Everyone who knew of the wolf knew that she traveled with two wolves, but few people ever saw them. When Birch rolled onto his back like a dog and asked to be scratched, Amira chuckled. The little girl, named Sara, ambled over to him before her brother could stop her. Tentatively, she reached out and began stroking his fur. Birch started to pant like a dog and nuzzled her neck. Sara's giggles rang through the air and her brother slowly joined.

_Behave._ In response, Birch started wagging his tail and prodded Snow with his nose until she responded. Amused, Amira watched the children relax but wondered what to do with them. Neither seemed keen to return home, meaning they were probably run aways, but her conscience refused to leave them in the woods. Sighing, Amira realized that the only option would be to bring them to Corus and find work for them there. When she pitched the idea to them, the kids eagerly accepted as long as she promised that they wouldn't be separated. Now that the matter was taken care of, Amira spent the night watching the children play with Birch and Snow before she saw their eyes begin drooping. She gave her only bed roll to Sara and decided to sleep under the stars with Fiera. Before letting her eyes shut, Amira pulled out her sword and dagger and left them by her head in case of an attack.


	2. Rain

Amira woke up at dawn and began doing her exercises. For several hours, her limbs were a blur as she kicked and punched at invisible foes. It was calming when she trained; every sound, sight, and smell seemed to disappear as her body instinctively followed the moves. Her sword sliced through the air and although the sweat beaded down her face, she kept going. With a final thrust, Amira finished a dance and used her sleeve to wipe away the sweat. She heard the kids beginning to stir as the sun rose and grabbed her canteen as she walked over. The clouds blocked out most of the sunlight and promised to bring a downpour, but hopefully it would be light.

Once everybody had eaten and were awake, they felt light drops of rain beginning to fall. Cursing, Amira saw that they would be soaked before they even reached Corus. The closest inn would lead them away from the city, but there was no choice. The leaves would not provide enough cover and even though she draped her only waterproof cloak over the kids, they would get sick. Amira put on a show of telling Birch and Snow to scout ahead and watched as they split apart before melting into the woods. Together, they set out. Amira grabbed Fiera's reins and led her down a path before jogging alongside her. The children's combined weight hardly bothered Fiera and clung onto her mane as she trotted after her master.

* * *

Bursting through the commander's tent, a soldier reported seeing a black wolf near the outskirts of the city. Panting, he saw another breathless soldier drinking some water. Lord Raoul, Commander of the King's Own, had a puzzled expression on his face. Moments before the soldier came in, the first one reported seeing a white wolf on the other side of town. Wolves were rare in this area, and apparently his soldiers reported seeing two of them. Sighing in exhaustion, Raoul rubbed his face. He would kill to have Daine with him right now. She could talk to these wolves and figure out what they were doing over here. There was nothing to interest a pair of wolves. The town they were nearly done repairing locked up all of their livestock and had a fence surrounding them. Rubbing his face, he told the first soldier to fetch both Lady Knights. He grimaced at the duty; the rain was starting to pick up and the Lioness's temper got worse in the rain. The second soldier was dismissed and Raoul asked a local boy to fetch him some water. The boy returned just as he finished explaining and would have gone unnoticed had he not exclaimed. "That's the Lady Wolf!"

The boy grew excited and all three knights turned to face him. "Who?" Alanna demanded. Raoul silently laughed at his old friend. Like a cat, she loathed being in the rain, but the king required her to go on this mission. The only thing that kept her mood up was the chance to talk to his former squire, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan. They commanded different forts during the war so this was one of the first times they were able to be near each other for an extended period of time.

"You don't know the Wolf? I 'ave ne'er seen her but me ma said that she wanders Tortall wi' two wolves. She teaches kids and women how to fight and makes sure no man beats them. E'rybody round here has heard of her!"

Alanna instantly brightened. In all of her years fighting, she has seen countless women and children getting beaten by their men. She hated it but she couldn't change it. Now, there was a woman who was doing what she couldn't. Curious, she wondered aloud why this stranger was coming to this town. She personally examined every person here and for the most part, they were in good condition after the mudslide. They had the general assortment of illnesses but saw nothing that pointed to abuse. Kel shrugged, "maybe she is just wandering through." In her eyes, she saw a chance to learn some more moves. Excluding her wolves, it sounded like this woman traveled on her own and must know some moves if she was able to survive.

* * *

Birch and Snow reported seeing a town less than an hour away and Amira smiled in relief. The rain had seeped through all of her clothes, making them cling to her skin. It emphasized her large bosom and curves, something she had learned to loath while traveling. It attracted trouble during her travels and more than once, she had to teach them a lesson. The news of soldiers surprised her, but Amira figured that the Own or army must be passing through. Excellent she thought, she could join their group and basically have an armed escort on the way back. Amira fudged the truth a bit and told the kids that a town was up ahead. Technically it was true, but she omitted how she knew that.

When they arrived, they saw men dressed in the Own's uniform walking all over the place. It appeared that there was some sort of accident and they were nearly done repairing it. Silently, Birch and Snow walked up behind Fiera. When she first met them, she had them hide but since people learned to associate her with her wolves and tended not to bother her, she started walking around with them more frequently. A villager walking by spotted her and ran over to her man. She tugged on his sleeve and whispered that the Lady Wolf was in their village. His eyes widened and he rushed over to the gates.

Suffice it to say, she was not what he had expected. The blacksmith expected a giantess adorned with every weapon imaginable. The girl before him was half his age, soaked to the bone, not that he minded as his eyes roamed her body, and atop her horse looked like two children huddling under a cloak. The look in her green eyes and the determined line in her jaw silently said that she was not in the mood for any nonsense in this weather. After he had introduced himself, the small woman called herself Amira and omitted her title. She asked for directions to the nearest inn and fortunately, the soldiers had finished rebuilding it two days ago. While they were talking, word spread of the Lady Wolf. Villagers came out of their homes and discreetly watched the legend herself. Her appearance was far from intimidating but they knew differently.

The children fidgeted under the stares and Amira led Fiera towards the inn. Soldiers walking by began to stare at well, but for a different reason. They had never heard of the Wolf but after spending six months fighting bandits and doing construction, the sight of a drenched female body was definitely welcome. Dom was one of the men to notice her, but rather than stare like the rest of the men, he listened to the villagers gossip about her. They referred to her as the Wolf and said it with awe. Intrigued, he wandered over to Raoul's tent to alert him of the mysterious female warrior. Amira saw a black haired blue eye man watching her, but his expression was different from the other soldiers. He appeared curious, rather than lustful. Pushing the thought away, she lifted the kids off Fiera and paid a stable boy a silver noble to take care of her mount. Amira requested a room from the inn keeper and at first, he was about to charge her an exorbitant price. The sight of two wolves trailing her nearly stopped his heart as he discovered her identity and graciously offered her his two best rooms. He hated pets, but if the stories were right, it would be in his best interests to keep quiet.


	3. New Friends

The rain was relentless at this point. It threatened to soak people to the bone and attempted to sneak inside cloaks. Although people were excited by the Wolf's presence, nobody wanted to stand outside in this weather. Raoul, Alanna, Kel, and Dom eagerly exited the tent, with Dom bringing up the rear. He slung his arm around her shoulders and proclaimed, "Come along my dear Protector! I think this is the Goddesses way of telling us that we have been out in the mud for too long." Dramatically, he used his free arm to flick off some dried mud on his cheek. Laughing, Kel walked faster to get out of the rain. Dom grinned; while Kel was ahead of him now, she didn't object to his arm around her.

Alanna reached the inn first and quickly pushed it open. Sliding the hood away from her face, she saw a young girl eating with two even younger children. The older girl looked to be seventeen but seemed comfortable eating at an inn on her own. At first glance, she looked like an innocent pretty girl. However, the lightened color of her hair and the barely visible imprint of daggers on her person spoke a different story. Raoul came in after her and nearly whistled. The girl before him was certainly a beauty and more than one of his men would be trailing after her. Silently, he chuckled. He could imagine the increase in accidents among his men and planned to milk their distraction for all its worth. Last night, the men decided to relieve their boredom by filling his bedroll with mud. His men now avoided him and warily hesitated in following their orders, expecting some sort of retribution.

Kel stepped into the inn and saw a half drenched girl eating with two children. As first glance, she noticed the girl's lightly tanned skin and full lips as they bit into a slice of bread. Underneath the large shirt were the faint imprints of daggers and lean muscles. The children sat with their backs facing the door, but were too busy gorging themselves on the food to notice the sound of wet boots on the floor. Kel couldn't blame them. Their clothes were clearly too big for them and the arms poking out of the sleeves showed skin stretched too tightly over the bone. Hanging his cloak on a nearby hook, Dom was the last one of their group to enter. The others were observing the Wolf and to be honest, he expected more. The girl was several years younger than Kel and didn't look like a crusader for women and children. However, she did have muscles and looked like she knew how to wield a weapon, so he probably shouldn't voice his thoughts aloud. Kel and Alanna were already excited to meet her and would turn on him the moment he voiced his doubts over the girl's skill. Kel, he might be able to handle, but Neal's stories of his years as her squire frightened him.

* * *

As the three knights and sergeant examined Amira, she conducted one of her own. They appeared friendly and based on the chatter from the inn keeper, they helped rebuild part of the town. Each carried a sword under their cloaks and except for the blue eyed man, they were all legends. A few months before she embarked on her year long trip to Carthak, the villages were flooded with stories of the Protector of the Small. Some were simply outrageous and made her seem like a ten foot tall giantess who had a miniature army of beasts by her side. Amira figured out the gist of the story and was nevertheless, impressed. She was reckless, but even she doubted if she would have been able to rescue several hundred refugees from Scanra.

When Mitch finished his stew, Amira saw the boy eying her half-finished bowl of food. Wordlessly, she pushed it towards him and smirked. He was only ten years old but he already had the appetite of a grown man. Mitch quietly thanked her and poured only half of the stew into his bowl, the rest he gave to Sara. The group approached her table and introduced themselves, curiosity brimming in their eyes. Together, they were: Sir Alanna of Olau and Pirate's Swoop, Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, and Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle. Their names were a mouthful and Amira mentally grimaced at the thought of having to say it when she spoke. Standing up, she introduced herself as Amira, the Shang Wolf. Appreciation flickered in their eyes and she gently pulled Sara and Mitch up. Their eyes had widened and to everyone's amusement, neither of them could speak. Chuckling, she introduced them and the only thing the kids could manage were shaky bows.

Alanna kneeled down until she was their level. Tilting their chins up, she said, "We may be nobles but you kits needn't bow to us like we are better than you. Look, we even have the same mud on our faces." Sara looked up and giggled at the sight of the mud streaked on the Lioness' face. The kids were still quiet, but at least they were starting to relax. "So Amira, what are you doing in this town?" Raoul asked. "Actually, I was planning on heading up north and visiting some of the villages there but then I met these kids. I have a friend in Corus who could find them a decent home but then it started raining. We came up here since I only had one cloak and this was the closest shelter." Amira said with a shrug.

"Well we are pretty much done repairing this town, so you can join us on our way back. We were planning on leaving tomorrow, but if this rain keeps up, it will be a few more days." Raoul saw Kel and Alanna's eyes light up at the prospect of having a shang travel with them. Mithros, normal women at court got that spark in their eyes when they found the right dress or accessory. He just had to be friends with the two women in the country who practically danced in anticipation of learning new moves. _At least they aren't whacking me with those swords. Kel isn't my squire anymore so I can't make her joust me_.

Amira accepted and everyone settled down to have a drink and chat. After spending most of the day on Fiera and then eating a hearty bowl of stew, the kids were starting to tire. Both of them wanted to stay but the drooping eyelids proved that they wouldn't last. Excusing herself, Amira slid an arm under Sara's knees and effortlessly lifted her up. Mitch rubbed his eyes and stood up with them. He yawned and grabbed her hand as they walked up to their room. He opened the door and helped Amira put Sara into bed before joining her. Both kids were asleep by the time Amira closed the door and made her way downstairs.

* * *

Once she was settled, Alanna asked the question that had been plaguing their minds from the moment they saw her. "Obviously, you know how Raoul, Kel, and I got our nicknames, but this is the first time I have heard of the Lady Wolf. How did you get the name for someone so young?"

Blushing, she responded. "The name was sort of forced upon me after I finished my shang ordeal three years ago. After I became the Shang Wolf, I began travelling through villages in Tortall, doing odd jobs to make some money. I was eating at some inn and the men were even more drunk than usual. The waitresses wore small outfits so in their drunken stupor, lots of hands were roving around. All of the girls simply laughed and winked at the patrons, but there was one who didn't. A man tried getting her to join his bed and when she refused, he slapped her. Everyone stood around laughing as blood trickled out of the poor girl's mouth. Before I could step in, the lass jumped out, tackled the guy, and knocked him unconscious."

Raoul's eyes danced mischievously as he interrupted to tell everyone about the last time he saw Alanna wrestle. Her opponent was twice her size and George, her husband, loudly placed a bet on her opponent winning. She refused to back down from the challenge almost lost. In a last ditch attempt, she bent low and head butted the guy in the gut.

Flushing red as everyone laughed, Alanna threatened to go outside and beat Raoul into the mud. Smirking, Dom innocently asked, "Will that be with your sword or your head?" Growling, Alanna told the sergeant to watch himself or else he would need Kel to help salve the pain with bruise balm. Kel was in the middle of taking a drink when Alanna said that and she started choking. Raoul patted her on the back and noticed a tinge of red on both Kel and Dom's faces. Making note of it, he gestured for Amira to continue.

"Roaring in laughter, I convinced the girl to leave before everyone came to their senses and tried to get revenge. She certainly had the guts, but if the guy was sober, she wouldn't have been able to manage that, so I offered to teach her some moves. Overnight, she spread word that the Shang Wolf was going to teach her how to fight off drunks so a bunch of other girls showed up the next morning. I had planned on leaving in two days, but the girls begged me to stay the rest of the week. For three days, I showed them how to throw people and where they should hit an unwelcomed guest. When I finally left, I went to another village and word had spread. Girls began coming up to me, wanting to be like the Lioness and Protector, so I taught them. The ones who were too afraid to ask me learned from the ones I taught and they started called me the Lady Wolf because I am always seen with my two wolves."

Whistling, Kel absorbed the tale in astonishment. She could understand girls wanting to be like the Lioness but she didn't know that they idolized her too. Her greatest exploit was defeating Blayce the necromancer, but that act bordered on treason.

"Wait, you travel with wolves?" Dom exclaimed. "Do you have wild magic?"

"Only a little bit. I can talk to dogs and wolves but I can't heal or make them do anything."

"So where are they?"

"Upstairs. They decided to dry out by the fire and prefer to stay out of sight. Most folks aren't exactly welcoming when they see a pair of wolves. People only tolerate them because of my reputation."

"So you have spent the last three years living in villages?" Kel asked.

"Actually, I just returned from a year long trip in Carthak. I like to travel but I always make sure I come back home and see how the villages are faring." The conversation switched to the latest news and eventually their travel plans. A comfortable lull settled around the group and Alanna saw that the rain had ceased. Nudging Raoul, everyone stood up and went back to their tents before the rain decided to continue.


End file.
